THOUGH THEY MAY LOOK like toys, the plastic trombones play like the real thing. The “bones” were put to the test by Davis High at parades this summer, and will appear in the Rose Parade January 1. Leslie Allsop (right) plays her trombone at a fundraiser at TacoTime in Kaysville on July 23 and band members (above) march in the Farmington parade July 14.
Photos by Louise R. Shaw | Davis Clipper

KAYSVILLE — It was a surprise gift but a welcome one when Conn-Selmer offered 20 plastic trombones to the Davis High Marching Band.

Director Steven Hendricks had purchased one to sample and was impressed.

He called the company, mentioned that his band would be marching in the Rose Parade, and was offered 20 of the plastic instruments endorsed by jazz-player Jiggs Whigham.

“There is no precedent to it, I’ve never heard of that kind of donation,” he said.

Known as pBones because they’re primarily made of plastic with a bit of fiberglass and even less brass, Hendricks said they have a sound that’s perhaps more mellow than full brass instruments, but that still sounds “amazingly like a trombone.”

They’re also lighter, according to Leslie Allsop, who plays one in the band. Weight is important when marching in parades – something the DHS band has done multiple times this summer. Most recently, the band participated in Bountiful’s Handcart Days parade on Friday and Salt Lake City’s Days of ’47 parade Tuesday.